Princess Kinoc reviews Wim Wenders’ ‘Perfect Days’, under the Screen International section of QCinema 2023. Some spoilers may be present in this review. I have an immense bias towards films that are quiet and would rather show than tell. Wim Wenders is no stranger to depicting how observational we can
Category: Festival Coverage
Poor Things (2023) review: Unfolding the catharsis in self-discovery, pleasure, and choice
Poor Things (2023) is the official opening film of QCinema 2023.
Toubab (2021) review: Laughing through labels
Fake it ‘til you make it. Nowadays, it’s no longer uncanny to talk about issues of homophobia and racism in comedies and so in Florian Dietrich’s attempt to discuss these in a lighthearted manner in his 2021 film Toubab seems commendable enough. That is until we get towards the third
The Ordinaries (2022) review: ‘Lights, Camera, Revolution’
‘The Ordinaries’ is one of seven films featured in this year’s Kinofest 2023, the German Film Festival. Sophie Linnenbaum’s satiric film takes meta-cinema with social commentaries that is one of the more lighter, entertaining films in this year’s festival. There’s something about Sophie Linnenbaum’s debut film that takes your breath
Republic of Silence (2021) review: Unveiling the heart of the Syrian conflict through personal perspectives
‘Republic of Silence’ is a powerful documentary that shows the Syrian conflict through personal perspectives gathered by Diana El Jairoudi and fellow activists for twelve years. Read more of our review here and watch the film at this year’s KinoFest 2023 at Gateway Cinemas. To say that Republic of Silence
A glimpse beyond the corset: ‘Sisi and I’ review
Not to confuse you with the 2022 film Corset, ‘Sisi und Ich’ (Sisi and I) offers a different perspective of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, also known as ‘Sisi’ to her legion of fans. In this film, mixed with female-led grunge and 70s underground tunes, we see Sisi’s worldview through the
Unearthing family secrets: a review of ‘Hao Are You’
‘Hao Are You’ is a moving documentary on the history of the Vietnam war and how it coincides with the traumas a family has experienced even post-war. Dispatches from our coverage of this year’s KinoFest 2023. What does it mean to be a stranger in your own family? This is
‘Sonne und Beton’ (Sun and Concrete) is not your ordinary teen movie – a review
Sun and Concrete is a film that’s loosely based on the life of comedian-podcaster Felix Lobrecht. This film might remind you of some films in the past that tackle our youth in slum areas in the country and how they manage to survive. There’s something about Sonne und Beton (Sun
Elaha (2023) review: Challenging Norms, Redefining Autonomy
Elaha is a film that tackles more about the ‘female gaze’, but the incredulous ways women’s sexuality has been re-written in history by men. Princess Kinoc reviews this film that is currently a part of the German Film Festival. The first time I heard about the word hymen, I was
JFF Independent Cinema reviews: ‘Bachiranun’ and ‘Follow the Light’
John Tawasil reviews ‘Bachiranun’ and ‘Follow the Light’, two of the films featured in this year’s Japanese Film Festival – Independent Cinema. Yonaguni is the westernmost inhabited island of Japan, only a short distance away from Taiwan. It has a language that is distinct from Japanese and is spoken by
‘A Muse Never Drowns’: navigating love and artistic expression – JFF Independent Cinema review
In ‘A Muse Never Drowns’, John Tawasil examines the many ways we draw upon our lives in the creation of art. This film is one of the twelve feature films in this year’s Japanese Film Festival – Independent Cinema. Art binds us together in many different ways. It helps us
Lonely Glory (2022) review: the cost of success is a lonely pursuit
In ‘Lonely Glory’, Keitaro Sakon explores the inner turmoil of a twenty-something woman named Haruka, in her ambitious pursuit of success. Princess Kinoc reviews this film from this year’s Japanese Film Festival In the eyes of Haruka and everyone else, she is very good at her job. She knows it.
Cinemalaya 2023 Round Up! (Part 2)
Cinemalaya 2023 films are in for special screenings across the country through FDCP’s Cinematheques. Check out the schedule for your local cinematheque here. As If It’s TrueSocial media has irrevocably changed the idea of privacy, whether it still exists as we add more and more of ourselves to a curated
Marupok AF review: Twisted truths and tangled tales
Don’t be fooled by the rambunctious laughter and collective groan Marupok AF (Where is the Lie?) produced when it kickstarted Cinemalaya 19 at the Philippine International Convention Center last Friday, August 4. Quark Henares’ latest project, an adaptation of the unbelievably crazy and scandalous viral Twitter thread in 2020, knows
Cinemalaya 2023 Round-up! (Part 1)
Roy Narra reviews five of the ten Feature Films in this year’s Cinemalaya 2023. Read about ‘Huling Palabas’, ‘Iti Mapukpukaw’, ‘Gitling’, ‘Maria’ and ‘When This is All Over’. Editor’s note: this year’s Cinemalaya Film Festival was held at a new venue. While the main venue (Cultural Center of the Philippines)
About Us But Not About Us (2023), a Summer MMFF review
Two men dining in a restaurant in BGC and talking for 90 minutes sounds perfect for a stage play but not for the big screen. But in the inaugural Summer MMFF Best Picture About Us But Not About Us, director Jun Lana and his team made an intense, intriguing, and
HERE COMES THE GROOM (2023), a Summer MMFF review
The 1st Summer Metro Manila Film Festival would not be complete without a lighthearted, fun, campy comedy film, and Chris Martinez’ Here Comes the Groom fills in that slot thanks to its ensemble cast. The sequel to the 2010 commercial and critical hit Here Comes the Bride, The Groom uses
‘Yung Libro Sa Napanood Ko’ (2023), a Summer MMFF review
Editor’s Note: this review contains minor spoilers. At its deepest core, Yung Libro sa Napanood Ko has the sincerest intention to not just create the Filipino fantasy of being in a K-Drama setup but to also tackle and explore love, intuition, and trauma. The film’s director and writer Bela Padilla
Film Review: “Triangle of Sadness” (2022)
There is nothing new with Ruben Östlund’s latest black comedy, anti-one percent film Triangle of Sadness and that has been the main concern of some critics about the film. With the rise of anti-capitalist films and TV series lately, the latest Palme d’Or winner is a critique of capitalism and
![This ‘Joyland’ review examines the parallels of the characters living in a [societal] box](https://www.filmpolicereviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Joyland-1170x603.png)
This ‘Joyland’ review examines the parallels of the characters living in a [societal] box
Joyland, as shown in the film, is an amusement park located in Lahore, Pakistan. It seems that anything is possible inside Joyland. The rides are thrilling, you can have fun, and freedom is alive and felt. But amusement parks are walled, and it requires payment to get in. Unfortunately in
Aftersun (2022)
We spend a lot of time recording good old memories for us to hold on to for a long time, but revisiting them in a different phase of our lives may give us a new perspective. Each time you see it, the moment is still true, but the truth it
in10city! QCinema’s 2022 Edition is Guaranteed Intense
in10city, QCinema International Film Festival’s 10th edition, powers up 2022 with another impressive lineup which includes films sourced from the most prestigious festival from all around the world. Bookending the festival is the much-awaited screening of two acclaimed European films with notable performances by Filipino thespians. The Palme d’Or-winning class
PeliKULAYa 2022 dispatches: Short film competition
In its third year, Pelikulaya, the international LGBTQIA+ film festival organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), holds a hybrid format. Coinciding with the Pride Month celebration, the festival offers a slate of local arthouse films and internationally acclaimed titles, such as Ishmael Bernal’s Manila by Night,
Cinemalaya 2020: Main Competition Reviews (Part 2)
CINEMALAYA 2020. I wrote the first part here in no particular order. By now you would have learned that Tokwifi wins Best Film and Martika Escobar wins Best Director for Living Things. By now as well (a Tuesday), my access to the festival screening on Vimeo would have expired. This year’s
Cinemalaya 2020: Main Competition reviews (Part 1)
It’s Cinemalaya 2020! You’ve heard from us for a long time since the pandemic began. Despite me and the rest of the guys being busy talking about films through the podcast , we miss writing about reviews too! It is only timely to find one of our favorite film festivals reinvent themselves
